Children have a vital role as part of the family firm. They need to know they are loved and valued as members of the family and citizens of the heavenly kingdom. Family worship is crucial, simple but regular, morning and evening. At an early age, children can start helping with cleaning and other responsibilities. Most important, they should heed Paul’s command: “Obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord” (Col. 3:20, NKJV).
Read the following passages. What principles are given for raising children?
“When the Spirit of God controls mind and heart, the converted soul breaks forth into a new song; for he realizes that in his experience the promise of God has been fulfilled, that his transgression has been forgiven, his sin covered. He has exercised repentance toward God for the violation of the divine law, and faith toward Christ, who died for man's justification. ‘Being justified by faith,’ he has ‘peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ Romans 5:1.
Paul’s concern for peace and harmony in the church appears clearly in the last verses of Colossians 3. We’ve already looked at God’s peace in some detail (see Lesson 7). Unlike the pax Romana, the pax Christi is not a peace imposed from the outside but is to “rule” us from within. That can happen only if Christ is in control.
Read Colossians 3:16, 17. What specifically enables Christ to be in control, and what role does music play in all this?
Having described the bad habits and negative qualities that are removed and put away when we come to Christ, Paul proceeds to the positive—like moving from darkness to light.
Read Colossians 3:12–14. How are believers described, and how do you think it relates to the qualities they are to “put on”?
We hear many slogans today: “End war!” “End deforestation!” “End nuclear weapons!” But one we have probably never heard is “End earthliness!” That just doesn’t fit with the sensibilities of our world. Not that any of the other slogans are wrong or what they advocate is wrong. They’re just very shortsighted, considering the nearness of eternity. Our focus needs to be higher, eternally higher.
“But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection” (Colossians 3:14, NKJV).
It’s commonly urged not to be so heavenly-minded; otherwise, we’ll be of no earthly good. While true in some sense, there’s an equally important concept that Paul highlights in Colossians 3: if we are too earthly-minded, we will be of no heavenly use to the Lord.
